Izuku ran through the dimly lit streets of Musutafu like hell, desperate to find the hospital the Langstroms were taken to, each step causing the remainder of Izuku's shoes to slap against the soles of his exposed feet that were stiff and frigid. Kirk's lab coat billowed behind Izuku in the glacial winds; his body was constantly shaking and quivering whenever the wind blew against his face, and each movement felt tight and slow, like his muscles were replaced with rusty steel. Half the city was sound asleep and safe inside their beds, Izuku getting lost inside his head and nearly tearing his face to shreds. The remaining lights in the buildings blinded him like they were floodlights.
Just when Izuku was about to turn into the nearest corner, he was stopped dead in his tracks when he slammed into what felt like a brick wall, causing him to fall over. "AHA, there you are!" A familiar booming voice called out, and when Izuku opened his eyes, he saw All Might standing in front of him again. Izuku began sweating bullets, witnessing All Might again, especially after he was saved from the Sludge Villain twice. "We have much to talk about, kid!" All Might said in a sour and menacing tone, sending a shiver down Izuku's spine.
All Might quickly grabbed Izuku into a nearby alleyway, away from any prying eyes that would impede upon them. All Might's body quickly started steaming, transforming him into his true appearance, a heavy scowl placed on his face as he looked at Izuku. "Alright, kid, you have some explaining to do!" All Might said in a demanding tone, causing Izuku to buckle under the pressure and for a solid minute, an eerie silence filled the alleyway. When Izuku began moving his lips, mouthing out words, the only sounds to come out of his mouth were whispers of terrified eeps.
Izuku's head felt warm, and his skin soaked in sweat, All Might's sunken eyes bore deep into Izuku's core, sending a shiver through his diminutive frame, he assumed All Might was going to talk about him saving Kacchan from the sludge villain, and he felt a sense of embarrassment run through his veins. He got ready to talk to All Might and apologise for his poor behaviour when his face turned a ghostly white when All Might uttered from his mouth, "Explain what you meant by 'monster." Izuku froze up as he listened to those words. Sweat began to form on the tips of his forehead and slowly dripped into his eyes.
Izuku's eyes turned wide as All Might, in his shrivelled and skeletal form, looked him dead in his eyes, waiting for an answer, Izuku audibly gasped as he gazed back into the sunken-in eyes that bore a deep hostility in them as he tried to gauge the situation that lay in front of him like a puzzle trying to figure out where the intricate little pieces fit together. Izuku struggled to muster any kind of words to dissuade All Might, but all that left his pair of lips fumbling miserably. He stuttered around each syllable, he couldn't help but feel completely stupid and ashamed of himself as he failed to hide something incredibly scrutinising.
"I know you're the Man-Bat!" All Might said in a frustrated voice that permeated the air. "I'm starting to lose my patience here, kid. If you don't tell me what's going on, I'm calling the police." All Might said, deepening his frown to the corners of his face as his non-existent brows dug deeper into his eyes, "Please don't." Izuku pleaded as All Might pulled out his phone, beginning to dial the number on the keypad. "I'm sorry, kid, but if you don't tell me what's going on with your quirk, then I'll have no other choice." The green-haired boy's heart sank deep into his chest like an anchor dropping in the middle of an endless sea of blood and sorrow.
Izuku's head began feeling warm, and his skin soaked. He whispered for Kirk's help until his fever broke, and as the skeletal man turned around, putting his ringing phone up to his ear, Izuku's breathing became laboured and quick, with his skin turning clammy. The Green-haired boy was torn between telling All Might the truth and not getting in trouble, but if he did so, the Langstroms might lose their jobs, and their reputations would be shattered into a million pieces. On the other hand, if he kept the secret, he might get into more trouble. It was a painstaking decision that ate away at Izuku's heart and mind. With a reluctant sigh, Izuku knew what he had to do.
"I-I can't control it." The skinny man pulled the phone away from his ears, turning his neck around to see the green-haired boy hunching over slightly as he ran his left hand against the other arm while avoiding eye contact. He immediately hung up the phone and listened to the worried boy, his voice carrying immense weight. "What do you mean?" All Might questioned Midoriya with a confused tone, with an underlying hint of a macabre intrigue. A prolonged silence saturated the air as Izuku attempted to explain his situation to the Pro, "It's not a quirk." Izuku shared this with the legendary hero, shocking him to his core. Hearing of such a fearsome ability not being a quirk was almost unheard of.
Izuku continued to inform All Might about the Man-Bat and his dreams relating to the beast and how the Langstroms were the only ones who could help him, each word was a stroke to a dire and dreadful image that painted All Might's mind, he soon began to realise how scared and alone the green-haired boy truly was. The only two people who knew about his hastening condition were in a hospital retrieving important medical attention, leaving them unable to assist him in his time of need. Izuku quickly began to break down before All Might, crying his eyes out, "I don't want to be a monster." Hearing that, he knew he had to do something for him no matter the cost.
All Might lowered himself down to Izuku and hugged him, completely shocking Izuku. "It's alright." The older of the two said in a calm voice like a delicate breeze from the ocean, sloughing Izuku's worries. At that moment, things became a little clearer for him. After a few seconds, All Might pulled Izuku up to his feet and brushed the dirt and debris off his borrowed lab coat. "I'm sorry." The skeletal man said with a heavy breath, "'Sorry?'" Izuku repeated with a befuddled expression on his face. "Yes, I'm sorry. For crushing your dreams before you. I shouldn't have done that." All Might said with a sombre tone in his voice.
"I-It's alright; it happens a lot anyway," Izuku said, scratching his head as he turned it away from All Might's hollow eyes. "Even so, I judged you by your lack of a quirk when I should've judged you by your heart." He said with a stern and stoic expression. All Might prepared himself to inform Midoriya about another secret of his own, his heart beating heavily like a drum, the night shining brightly in his eyes when he began to speak. "Izuku, was it?" He questioned the boy, who simply responded with a nod of his head. "I haven't been telling the whole truth about myself." All Might said stoically as he held out the palm of his hand.
"Young man, I come with thanks, a correction, and a suggestion." The hero spoke with high regard and absolute respect that exceeded most things Izuku had ever heard up to this point in his life, putting him on edge with immense curiosity. "If you hadn't been there… If you hadn't told me about your life… I would've turned into a guy in a bodysuit who was all talk. Thank you" Izuku was a little confused but couldn't take his eyes away from All Might's eyes, which gleamed with great respect and an opportunity of immense proportions that could decide the world's fate in a matter of mere seconds, he leaned in closer his mind racing at a million miles an hour as he thought about the implications that were to come.
"It was because it was none other than the timid, Quirkless you at the scene… That I was able to act." The skeletal man choked on his words, meeting Midoriya's wide eyes that glistened with his every word like the moonlight against the vast sea. "Top heroes have stories about them from their school days. Most of their stories have one thing in common. Their bodies moved before they had a chance to think. That was true for you, too, wasn't it?" He asked, leading Izuku to choke up once more and clutch his heart, small tears streaming from his face, but unlike before, these weren't tears of anguish; these were tears of joy.
For all his life, Izuku had been told he couldn't become a hero…He remembered his mother's words. "I'm sorry, Izuku! I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Inko's words hung heavily in his mind, remembering how distraught she was and how much she cried, apologising to her son as she held him tight in a hug after being informed that he was quirkless and that he should just give up his dreams. But that's not it. Back then, what he wanted her to say… The words he wanted to hear were… "You...can become a hero." Dreams can become a reality. But he couldn't blame his mother; she was just as scared and confused as he was and had no clue how to help him.
"Young man, you are worthy to inherit my power." All Might said in a cool yet powerful voice that emanated a mystery that Izuku had never seen before. The green-haired boy was mystified by these words, "Inherit your power?" The baffled green-haired boy questioned with a sense of childlike wonder and a feeling of apprehension that stung through his mind and spirit. All Might regarded Izuku's confused look and took this as an opportunity to explain, "Yes, my Quirk, One For All!" He explained the mechanics of his quirk and how it stockpiles the strength of the last user and stacks it on top of their strength to cultivate it further with each user repeatedly to make it the strongest quirk.
"The tabloids called it 'Superhuman Strength' and a 'boost'… and I constantly dodged the question during interviews with a funny joke." He told Izuku about how his quirk must be kept secret and that All Might must be seen as a natural-born hero, and how it was passed onto him like a sacred torch and that it was his turn to carry on the flame. Izuku felt a swarm of conflicting emotions ranging from joy, wonder and awe to apprehension, anxiety and disbelief. He geeked out when All Might told him about his quirk, causing him to mumble extensively about rumours and theories of his quirk, and now that he knew the origin of his quirk, he was stunned.
"Listen, young man!" All Might bellowed out in frustration at Midorioya's inability to focus on the bigger picture, causing him to snap out of his trance in an instant. When Midoriya snapped back to reality, he quickly apologised for mentally wandering off. "This is very important, young Izuku. You need to decide whether or not you will accept my power!" Izuku blinked when hearing that offer; he wasn't sure if this was reality or if he was still dreaming. He would've jumped at this opportunity if it weren't for his internship with the Langstroms. He learnt so much from them and needs their help to keep everything under control.
"I-I don't know," Izuku said with worry and anxiety in his voice. He was completely unsure of what he wanted; he couldn't simply decide between the Langstroms and All Might. "I want to be a hero, but…" Izuku paused as the alleyway stood quiet for a few seconds. "But?" All Might questioned, raising a non-existent eyebrow at Izuku's uncertainty. "But you can't just make me choose between you and the Langstroms; they're the only ones who can help me." He said with a heavy sigh. He was still completely torn up about being a hero for the longest time, and the Langstroms and their lab were the only outlets for him.
"Can you let me think it over? Please." Izuku pleaded with the skeletal man, who agreed it was all he could do at the moment. Before parting ways, All Might gave Midoriya his number for when Midoriya decided to answer his question to take on the position of his successor. Izuku graciously accepted his number, and when they finished, Izuku made a mad dash for the nearest hospital, surprising All Might as he watched the skinny boy gallop at ludicrous speeds into the darkness ahead. There was no doubt in the hero's mind that the green-haired boy would be the perfect pupil.
Laughter filled the room; Kirk was sitting at his desk in front of a computer typing away, his eyes reflecting the spreadsheets in his pupils. Francine was busy washing out vials in the sink, her smile shining brightly like polished diamonds. Midoriya was handling bats across the room, his kind laugh echoing in the room, and Dr March was sitting in the corner reading a newspaper, his usual unwelcoming scowl resting upon his face. Suddenly, there was a rhythm of rapping at the door that irked Kirk, but he was too busy to answer it. The rapping continued for a few moments, pushing Dr March to get up from his seat. "ALRIGHT!" The short man yelled out, scrunching up his paper.
Opening the door, Dr March was promptly met with a deafening screech before he screamed while he flew through a wall at incredible speeds. His screams drew everyone's attention, and in a flash of blinding darkness, Izuku was pounced on by an enormous beast. Kirk tried to leave his seat and rescue Izuku, but his whole body was instantly overtaken by numerous chains binding him to his spot. Forced to watch as the beast devoured Izuku, spilling his blood all over the walls. Francine stumbled back, screaming in horror, watching the beast tear through Izuku's throat, pulling out pieces of flesh like they were pork. Skin and muscle tissue tore with ease, as if they were tissue paper.
His esophagus swung freely in the snouted jaws of the beast. Izuku gargled and gasped; his blood bubbled hot air escaping through his throat, and his spinal cord shifted up and down as he struggled to cling to life. His once large, innocent and energised green eyes dimmed down and became a dull grey, and his round face became a ghostly pale. Kirk watched as the beast shook Izuku's esophagus in its mouth, spilling tiny drops of blood onto Kirk's shoes. Sweat began accumulating from his forehead and pooled directly into his eyes, blurring the vision of the horrible sight from him.
Izuku's skinny body was marked by deep gashes the beast had dug into his flesh, scooping out massive amounts of meat from his chest before shovelling them into its mouth and devouring them in seconds, leaving chunks of blood and flesh on the ground like jelly. Kirk wanted to scream, but he could feel more chains slither around his neck before clamping down tightly, cutting him off before he could vocalise his screams. His body sat still as a statue; he wanted to get up, but his chains kept him stuck to his chair, the beast hollowing out a shriek from the depths of its stomach, causing Kirk's ears to almost pop.
Francine clenched her eyes and teeth; the windows exploded, turning into a fine powder that spread throughout the room after each window was destroyed. Fire shot out each window like a battalion of dragons was standing outside, ready to bathe the room in an inferno. The room was covered in searing flames that spread out rapidly; Kirk could feel his body melting away under the scorching heat. He looked down at his skin; it began to liquify and drip away from his body like wax, showing the bone underneath. A loud burp filled the room, and when Kirk looked back at the beast, he saw Izuku's charred remains and his skin picked clean.
The beast turned its attention to Francine, who was embracing her father, stomping over Francine, her eyes overflowing with fear, the beast cocked back like a bow and arrow ready to unleash itself upon her, and Kirk could do nothing but watch and with a swift lunge forward and opened its jaw, "NO!" Kirk screamed out as loud as he could, but the chains muffled his words. Kirk opened his eyes wide and was met with a blinding overhead light that stung his eyes as he was jolted awake, his breathing fast and laboured, sweat soaking the hospital bed he found himself on. "Oh my god, Kirk!" Francine said, fear tugging at her voice as she went in to embrace her husband, glad that he was ok.
"It's about time you woke up, Kirk!" Dr March said in a harsh tone from the foot of his bed with an encompassing air of vexation fuelling the short doctor's temper. "What happened?" Kirk questioned tiredly; he rubbed his hands against his forehead, trying to soothe his intense headache, which felt reminiscent of someone banging a pipe against a metal bin that stuck on his head. "All I remember is… IZUKU! WHERE'S IZUKU? HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?" Kirk questioned as he grabbed onto his wife's arms, a look of fear and worry filling his face, his eyes growing wide. Francine gazed into his eyes with an uncomfortable look of uncertainty. "It's been 3 days since we were admitted here, and Izuku should only be a few minutes." She admitted with a meek tone as fear filled her features.
"3 DAYS! Oh no! This can't be; he-he needs our help, Francine!" Kirk said, trying to get out of his bed. He clutched his chest as a sharp pain shot through him like a locomotive. A swirling vortex of terror and self-loathing swallowed his heart and mind, thinking of Izuku. "It's ok, Kirk, I'll call him again, just stay here and get better." Kirk heeded his wife's wishes with a level of reluctance. With a heavy sigh, he agreed to take a rest. Francine walked out of the room, leaving her husband in the company of her father. An uncomfortable silence hung in the room as Kirk and March made eye contact with each other.
March's eyes bore deep into Kirk's soul; he could tell that March had something chewing on his mind, it seemed clear that there was something he wanted to argue about with Kirk, and against his better judgement, Kirk decided to engage with Dr March, "Alright March I know you've got something you want to say to me so go ahead and spit it out." Kirk said in a calm yet frustrated tone, his brows dug deep into his eyes, "I don't have anything to say other than the fact you let my precious research burn." He said with a callous voice overflowing with resentment for Kirk. Ever since Midoriya started working with them, Dr March began behaving erratically and being protective of his work.
Kirk looked at March like he was about to pop a blood vessel; his right eye twitched rapidly. "WHAT?" Veins burst from his forehead as he felt his blood come to a boiling point. He always knew that Dr March always proffered his research to people but not to such a high degree, not to the point where he would disregard him and Francine's lives. Kirk was appalled hearing March's words, and before he knew it, he began to argue loudly with March, "What the hell is wrong with you, March? We could've died. Does that mean nothing to you?" Kirk questioned angrily, his eyes twitching with utter contempt.
March scoffed at Kirk's concerns, waving them away like they were nothing. "My work could've been the key to a completely new species!" He said, boasting with pride, confusing Kirk for a few minutes, "What?" He replied, "Don't play dumb with me, Kirk. Only a creature such as a bat can survive the next evolutionary cataclysm. And it will!" March said, his voice booming with absolute certainty. Kirk was left speechless and in a befuddled state. "What the hell are you talking about, Robert?" Kirk demanded answers from his demented father-in-law. He eyed Dr March carefully as he looked like he was about to go off into the deep end of insanity itself.
"I'm talking about creating an entirely new species, neither man nor bat." Kirk listened to March's mad ramblings, carefully honing in on each word. "My new serum could be the key to the next step in human evolution." Kirk absorbed every word escaping March's mouth and was dumbfounded at his absurd claims to evolve the human species and show that quirks are nothing compared to what he has discovered. "Are you saying you've created a mutagenic formula? And what do you mean 'could be'?" Kirk questioned disbelief, evident in his tone as he doubted the validity of March's claims.
"I needed to test it, but before I had the chance-" Dr March said with an air of reluctance and annoyance before he was rudely cut off by Kirk, "You mean, you haven't taken it?" Kirk interjected with surprise and confusion, "Of course not." March responded with an agitated growl. "Unfortunately, the experimental batch was destroyed. I'll have to–" But before March could finish his sentence, he was immediately cut off again by Kirk, who felt the need to interject, "Destroyed how?" Kirk asked, more enraged this time, furrowing his brows in frustration.
"I'd been working through the night. I was just completing the final combination. You have to understand. I was very tired." Dr March spoke with an air of remorse as if he had just committed an unspeakable and heinous murder, "I accidentally dropped the beaker. The whole night's work was ruined. None of you knew what I was doing. But Izuku was there to clean up the mess, all that glass." He grieved as though he had just lost his closest friend, leaving a burning hole deep within his heart as he recounted the events leading up to it. Kirk felt nothing but a seething frustration and hatred for March as he realised he was the one responsible for turning Izuku into the Man-Bat.
"But soon I will show the world what it's capable of-" Before March could finish his sentence, Kirk lunged at him, pinning him to the ground as he tussled with his insane father-in-law, "ARE YOU INSANE, MARCH?" Kirk commanded March as he shook him around like a ragdoll. "What the hell is wrong with you, Kirk?" March commanded back as he tried to loosen Kirk's grip, his hands clutching against the lab coat with enough strength to tear the fabric to pieces. "YOUR SERUM MARCH. IT'S. IN. IZUKU MARCH!" Kirk said, growling the words into the older man's ear.
"What are you talking about?" Dr March said, struggling to gasp for air as he attempted to push Kirk off. Kirk grabbed the collar of March's lab coat. "When Izuku cleaned up your mess, he was in direct contact with your mutagen." Kirk said, unable to control his seething rage, "And now… And now Izuku is slowly dying because of you!" He confessed as he loosened his grip, letting March fall to the cold tile floor like a sack of potatoes. "I-I feel powerless to help Izuku this entire time. Francine and I thought this was just a series of horrifying misfortunes, but now I know better: it's your fault, March!" Kirk broke into tears, unable to stop a torrent of water from cascading down his cheeks.
The door creaks open, and as the two men turn their heads, there stands Francine with a look of concern and sadness. "Francine, how long have you been listening?" Kirk asked, sensing the palpable tension in her lips before opening them. "Long enough." She said in a simple yet solemn tone. Izuku stood behind her with a similar look of worry and distress. "Dad. Get out. Please!" Francine said calmly, yet Kirk could tell that it was the hardest thing for her to say, and it took all her might not to break down in front of him. Dr March tried to say something, but an empty left his mouth, and he quickly closed it and left the room, defeated as he realised the gravity of the situation he was in.
Izuku walked in behind Francine as Kirk looked at them with a look of pain and despair. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" But before Kirk could continue, he suddenly found himself in the loving embrace of his wife and Izuku. Izuku couldn't help himself, and he let out a few tears in his eyes as he tightened his grip on Kirk. "It's not your fault," Francine whispered into Kirk's ear, akin to the soft and delicate coo of a dove. "But how?" Kirk questioned, stumping Francine, as she looked down to the ground in defeat. "What we always do." Izuku said, "We survive." He stated with a confidence unseen by the Langstroms.
Kirk quickly stood up, his legs barely able to hold the rest of his body up as Francine held him up. "You're right, Izuku." Kirk said proudly, "It's no use throwing myself a pity party." He said, brimming with a newfound determination, "We'll get through this together." Francine spoke with a similar level of determination to her husband, as her confident smirk reassured both her husband and Izuku. The room settled into a calm and collected atmosphere with a refreshed resolve. Izuku felt a spectacular sense of accomplishment that only grew with each passing second throughout his body, seeing as the Langstroms enjoyed his company and vice versa.
He held his lips tight, wanting to ask the Langstroms an urgent question, but refrained from doing so until the right moment, doubt filled his mind. If he asked now, he might spoil the moment, but if he didn't, then he might not get another chance. As he withheld the question, his face was overcome with a flurry of emotions that he struggled to contain to himself. Kirk glanced at Izuku, noticing an anxious look on the face of the Green-haired boy, "Is something wrong, Izuku?" He asked, his voice tinged with worry. "I-It's nothing it's just that…" Izuku sighed with a heavy breath as he gathered what little courage resided within him to confront the Langstroms with his question.
"If I was offered the chance to become a hero…" Izuku paused for a moment to catch his beating heart thumping and galloping like a wild horse. "Do you think it would be possible? Even if I'm The Man-Bat?" Izuku asked with a teary-eyed expression as a singular tear cascaded down his cheek. He awaited an answer, his eyes closed, and regret and doubt soared through his body. He felt like an idiot for asking the question, thinking to himself that the Langstroms would immediately shoot him down. "Of course." Both Langstroms said together in near-perfect unison, yet slightly out of sync with one another, much to Izuku's surprise.
"What?" Izuku questioned as he double-checked to make sure he wasn't mishearing them. "Izuku, you're an intelligent, wise, and resilient young man. If you want to become a hero, then we'll support you all the way. No matter what." Francine said in a bright and wonderful tone, Kirk nodding with her in agreement. Izuku was left speechless, and from the corner of his eyes, he started to let up an ocean of tears to run down his cheeks like waterfalls, he was overwhelmed with pure unbridled joy, and before Izuku could say anything else or thank the Langstroms he quickly found himself in the tight embrace of a group hug.
Izuku wanted the moment to last forever; he tightened his grip on the Langstorms as he realised he'd have to inform his mother about this. He was completely worried about how she'd react. He was afraid she would be put into a coma from shock alone. It was hard for her before, but things only got harder when he transformed into the Man-Bat so many months ago. She was still completely unaware that he had an uncontrollable animal inside him. But he wouldn't be able to keep it a secret from her for much longer, and with the help of the Langstroms, Izuku would have the confidence necessary to confront her.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
As most of you know, I took a break from writing this story because the ending of MHA affected me deeply, and I felt too spiteful to write. I was worried about my work reflecting this mindset, so I became inactive until I could clear my thoughts. I don't want this story to become the MHA equivalent of Spider-Man Lotus, with it only being made out of spite and to "correct" Horikoshi's artistic vision, which just isn't fair to him or anybody else.
I want to briefly talk about my feelings about the ending of the MHA manga for the first time. I'm not too fond of the way the story ends. I think it's a major letdown and a waste of time. My main issue with the ending is that Deku loses his quirk, sacrifices One for All to defeat Shigaraki, and then gets no recognition from anyone, not even his friends. They move forward with their dreams while he's left behind, working a regular job, which says to me that if you don't have a quirk or a billion-dollar suit, you can't do shit. This feels like a terrible ending that sends the message that "helping others gets you nothing in return, and you can't do anything unless you're special or rich, so just give up, which goes against the whole idea of being a hero in the first place.
But please be vocal about your opinions towards my story, as your opinions are so very important to me. And if you need to know more about why I don't want this story to become like Spider-Man Lotus, watch "Spider-Man Lotus: The Anti-Fan Film" By WebbStarr on YouTube. It sums up why the movie was only made because the guy behind it didn't like the MCU Spider-Man movies and wanted to make a fan film to compete with other fan films.
So why should I feel the need to correct Horikoshi's "mistakes" with my story? That's just limiting and insulting to Horikoshi's artistic vision. I can't just pretend that my take is objectively better. But I don't know, what do you guys think? I've recently been writing some side stories to this story, which some of you may already know of with the Emergency Man-Bat Safety Measures, and I'm taking a very Analog Horror-esque route with it. So I hope you all have a good time and I'll see you all later.